I-LEAGUE Media Team

GOA: Sporting Clube de Goa are confident of saving their season and hope to kick off their winning run against Dempo Sports Club in a Hero I-League clash at Fatorda on Saturday.

Sporting Clube are winless and at the bottom of the table but coach Mathew Costa believes his team can get back on track if they notch their first win.

“We just need to start winning. We have a good team and the players have been doing well but we have been unlucky,” the coach said.

Sporting Clube had more shots on goal than hosts Bengaluru FC in their last Hero I-League clash but still ended up losing 4-1, thanks largely due to an ineffective defence. Sporting Clube lost their captain Anthony Wolfe to injury as well.

“It’s a matter of time before we get our first win but we have to start winning quick,” said the Sporting coach.

Sporting Clube lost 0-3 against Dempo in the first leg and Dempo Sports Club remain confident they can repeat the same result even though many of their players, including striker Tolgay Ozbey, are nursing injuries.

“Compared to what we were doing in the Federation Cup, this I-League performance is not on the same lines. It’s largely because of the unavailability of players,” said Dempo assistant coach Aaron Simmons.

The Australian coach said two of the foreign players who missed the last match — Haroon Amiri and Carlos Hernandez — will both return for the Sporting clash but there were still doubts over the availability of their main striker Tolgay Ozbey.

Dempo, too, have been struggling in the Hero I-League after their glorious run in the Hero Federation Cup early this year where they only lost to Bengaluru FC in the final. Dempo played free-flowing and attractive football but with injuries plaguing their side, they have not been able to replicate the same form.

Dempo, interestingly, have won only one match in this edition of the I-League and that came against Sporting Clube. They are placed ninth with nine points from 10 matches.

Match KO: Apr 4 @ 4:30 PM IST
Hashtag: #SCGvDEM